Ingredients:
1 block of cream cheese (we used Reduced Fat)
¼ – ½ cup fresh pesto (we buy it premade at the grocery store)
¼ of a red bell pepper, cut into small cubes (see picture) for ornaments
2 inches of a pretzel rod (to serve as the tree trunk)
Crackers

Directions:
1. Cut cream in half diagonally so that you have two triangles. Then fit them together so that they create one large triangle (the shape of a tree).

2. Top cream cheese with fresh pesto. Then decorate with bell pepper ornaments.

3. Add tree trunk/pretzel.

Serve with crackers! Yummm.

See! Wasn’t that easy!

Cheers to coffee!

So….here we go!

Combine the following ingredients and then whisk together.  Then rub tri-tip with the mixture.

¼ cup coarse salt (kosher or sea)
¼ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
¼ cup paprika
3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on desired “heat”)
½ teaspoon celery seeds

Directions:
1. Season meat with dry rub and allow to set for 2-4 hours in the refrigerator.

2. Grill the tri-tip (or your choice of meat).

Note: Always let steak sit for several minutes covered with foil after taking it off heat/grill so that the juices are absorbed back into the meat instead of leaking all over your cutting board/counter/floor!! Any meat juices that do escape can be poured over the meat for a great flavor.

Ingredients:
1 box of orange Jell-O
1 small can of pineapple chunks, drained
Orange Sherbet

Directions:
1. Prepare Jell-o following box directions.

2. Stir drained pineapple chunks into the Jell-O just before putting it into the refrigerator to set.

3. Once you are ready to serve, scoop some sherbet into the bottom of a fun martini glass, and then scoop some of the Jell-O mixture on top of that.

Enjoy!

Use any vegetables you like, but consider the following:
All colors of bell peppers
Anaheim chilies
Japanese eggplant
Zucchini squash
Tomatoes
Bermuda onion
Mushrooms

Directions:
1. Grill the vegetables on your bbq or on a stovetop griddle pan.

2. When done, cut them up into bite size pieces.

3. Cook up some bow tie pasta, (about ¼ lb. /person) al dente.

4. In a sauce pan, heat up about 1 cup (for 4 people) of good quality olive oil. Add in 4 finely chopped garlic cloves.

5. Mix the vegetables with the pasta and add the garlic infused olive oil and add salt and chili flakes to taste.  Be careful with the chili flakes if you are adding any bbqed chili peppers to the dish.

6. Add grated Parmesan cheese to taste.

Serve, and enjoy the praise of your friends and loved ones as they call you a genius at cooking.  ~ Len (my dad)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon peanut butter (preferably at room temperature, for easy spreading)
2 graham crakers
2 squares of a chocolate bar
1 skewer-toasted marshmallow

Directions:
1. Spread peanut butter onto one of the graham crackers.

2. Slide marshmallow off skewer onto peanut butter.

3. Top with chocolate and remaining wafer and squish down gently.

More S’Mores for grown-ups:
- Thin peanut-butter cookies with Nutella, sliced banana, and marshmallow.

- Thin peanut-butter cookies with bittersweet chocolate, caramel sauce, and marshmallow.

- Graham crackers with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, sliced banana, and marshmallow.

- Gingersnaps with a caramel-filled chocolate square and marshmallow.

- Graham crackers with plain dark chocolate, marshmallow, and strawberry slices.

- VolunteerSBC! – A site run in my hometown by United Way.

- Volunteer Match – This is a more national version of the site above.

- Idealist - A wonderful site for all types of service (volunteer opportunities, partnerships, Board positions, etc).

- California Volunteers – A cool site that acts as an information point for volunteer matching networks in California.

Get active and make a difference!